The world athletics Council through its Athletes’ Commission and Gender Leadership Taskforce have launched an initiative to curb femicide in Kenya.
This they announced on Wednesday December 4th during the final day of the 236th World Athletics Council Meeting in Monaco.
The athlete’s commission made a special request to World Athletics to take leadership role in helping to curb Gender-based violence among athletes which has been on the rise across the globe, Kenyan athletes being ranked amongst them on the globe.
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Among the cases included Agnes Tirop who was killed by Lover and Damaris Mutua who was found murdered in Iten.
While addressing the issue, the main areas the world athletics will focus on include raising awareness, education and lobbying for change.
In a sport as diverse and universal as athletics, it is rare to see athletes from different countries, disciplines and socio-economic backgrounds agree on something as unanimously as the topic of gender-based violence.
World Athletics Athletes’ commission chair Valerie Adams said.
We as athletes are in a unique position to leverage our profiles and social influence in our communities to lobby for change. It will take a concerted effort from all of us to be leaders in the space to influence and drive the change we need.
She added.
The athletes commission further recommended World Athletics to explore partnerships with relevant organizations to combine forces and push for change.
